Not laying

[Ctrek]

I have a bird I acquired about a year ago, I think it’s a RIR. I don’t really know. She is about a year old now. She began laying almost right away and has been going strong until about three months ago. I also noticed a couple days ago she is losing quite a few feathers.

Her behavior is normal, her eyes are clear, she seems to have normal weight, comb waddles and earlobes seem normal and no visible evidence of mites or fleas. I don’t really need the eggs from her but it’s a little odd I think. What do you all think? Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

She is probably starting her yearly molt, which they drop and regrow their feathers, and they stop laying eggs until the molt is finished.

 

[Ctrek]

She is probably starting her yearly molt, which they drop and regrow their feathers, and they stop laying eggs until the molt is finished.

Is it typical to molt closer to their hatching? Instead of fall? Maybe she was just a graceful moulter? Thanks for help.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Where in this world are you and what are your temps like? Sometimes hens stop laying in high heat, and that can trigger a molt as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually they will molt the first time around 16-18 months old, and then once a year after. Stress can lead to a molt. But I don’t see much feather loss yet. Usually they will come out in clumps, and the tail and neck feathers can be seen coming out first.

 

[Ctrek]

Usually they will molt the first time around 16-18 months old, and then once a year after. Stress can lead to a molt. But I don’t see much feather loss yet. Usually they will come out in clumps, and the tail and neck feathers can be seen coming out first.

Thank you

 

[Ctrek]

Where in this world are you and what are your temps like? Sometimes hens stop laying in high heat, and that can trigger a molt as well.

Southern Colorado. It’s been in the low to mid 80s and high 40s at night. But that started a couple weeks ago. Would it take 3 months to molt?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

have a bird I acquired about a year ago, I think it’s a RIR. I don’t really know. She is about a year old now. She began laying almost right away

If she started laying shortly after you got her, she was not a chick but already old enough to lay - could have been any age from six months up. It sounds like you got her as a pullet at "point of lay" - just starting her career as a layer. So she'd be about a year and a half old now.

This is a bit of a puzzle to me. There was one year when my hens quit laying in late summer, August, I think, due to heat (I'm in SE Missouri where it's hot AND humid), then they molted, and by the time that was over it was late fall and the days became too short for them to lay. They didn't start laying again till late February, so all told I was feeding a bunch of freeloaders for nearly six months that year. Lucky for them, the main reason I have them is for tick control! But your situation sounds different so ... I don't know.

 

[Ctrek]

If she started laying shortly after you got her, she was not a chick but already old enough to lay - could have been any age from six months up. It sounds like you got her as a pullet at "point of lay" - just starting her career as a layer. So she'd be about a year and a half old now.

This is a bit of a puzzle to me. There was one year when my hens quit laying in late summer, August, I think, due to heat (I'm in SE Missouri where it's hot AND humid), then they molted, and by the time that was over it was late fall and the days became too short for them to lay. They didn't start laying again till late February, so all told I was feeding a bunch of freeloaders for nearly six months that year. Lucky for them, the main reason I have them is for tick control! But your situation sounds different so ... I don't know.

It is weird because she laid all winter too with no breaks. Even when in that super cold snap at -10 over night. The other two from the old flock are still laying. I guess I’ll just keep waiting. Thanks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It isn't really the cold that stops them from laying, as I understand it, but the lack of daylight hours. They need 14 hours of light but it doesn't even have to be bright light. So she must have had enough during that winter to trigger ovulation. Keep us posted.